I am a former EUROCONTROL software analyst-programmer in Flight Plan Processing at Karlsruhe UIR control center Karlsruhe with operational responsibility of maintenance and enhancement 1992 - 1997. My experience is in large systems also outside the ATC area. Systems psychology and human computer interaction areas are of special interest to me and I have taught in these areas at Istanbul Yeditepe University computer department.

ISO 12207 offers a framework for software life-cycle processes from concept through retirement. It is especially suitable for acquisitions because it recognizes the distinct roles of acquirer and supplier. In fact, the standard is intended for two-party use where an agreement or contract defines the development, maintenance, or operation of a software system. It is not applicable to the purchase of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software products.

ISO 12207 provides a structure of processes using mutually accepted terminology, rather than dictating a particular life-cycle model or software development method. Since it is a relatively high-level document, 12207 does not specify the details of how to perform the activities and tasks comprising the processes. Nor does it prescribe the name, format, or content of documentation. Therefore, organizations seeking to apply 12207 may want to use additional standards or procedures that specify those details.

The ISO standard intends for organizations to tailor these seventeen processes to fit the scope of their particular projects by deleting all inapplicable activities; and it defines 12207 compliance as the performance of those processes, activities, and tasks selected by tailoring.

The Department of Defense - DoD undertook an effort to unify DoD-STD-2167A (used by the mission-critical community) and MIL-STD-7935 (used by the information systems community) to create one life-cycle standard--MIL-STD-498.

Just as 498 was nearing approval, however, the DoD shifted its acquisition policies toward more reliance on commercial standards. As a result, 498 was approved for an interim period of only two years. The IEEE and the Electronics Industry Association (EIA) then initiated a joint project to create a commercial replacement for 498. This effort produced one standard with two names: an IEEE Trial Use Standard 1498 and an EIA Interim Standard 640. Since both the IEEE and the EIA produced the standard, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) designated the document as ANSI Joint Standard 016.

Meanwhile, ISO 12207 was also underway. Whereas J-016 defined only the development process, 12207 described four additional primary processes, as discussed above. Furthermore, in 1992, the IEEE had completed its own life-cycle process standard, 1074, providing detailed descriptions of development and maintenance activities as well as their connections. In principle, one could use 1074 to construct processes that would comply with the requirements of either J-016 or 12207. The challenge now is to "harmonize" or otherwise converge these three different documents.